KIDS STRENGHTS promotes resilience processes of children and adolescents in the context of mentally vulnerable parents.

What do we understand by "resilience"?

Resilient children are expected to adapt successfully even though they experience risk factors that are against good development.
Resilience can be described by viewing:

good outcomes regardless of high-risk status,

constant competence under stress, and

recovery from trauma.
(Masten et al. 1990)

Why do we preferably use the term
"mental vulnerability"
?
When working with parents we use this term as the attribution of a "mental illness" to parents is usually associated with high stigma and mostly provokes fear,
anger or denial. The term “vulnerability” is less stigmatising, more easily accepted by the affected parent and more understandable for the child:
Also children understand that they might not feel well and e.g. have less energy, if they are hurt (by an injury) and are therefore more sensitive.

Within the KIDS STRENGTHS project the term "vulnerability"
(Zubin 1977)
covers emotional, cognitive, social and behavioural changes and disturbances,
which sometimes become diagnostic criteria of a mental illness.
(Pretis & Dimova 2004, 37f.)